DETROIT — Dan Campbell’s aggressive fourth-down mindset has become a cornerstone of the Detroit Lions’ offense.
That doesn’t just go for crucial NFC North battles, where a gutsy call can clinch a victory in the regular season; it stays true in preseason.
Despite a 24-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins in their penultimate preseason game on Saturday, the Lions got back to showcasing their assertive attitude when it comes to fourth downs.
The Lions went for it three times on fourth down and converted every time.
It’s become such a staple of Detroit’s offense that opposing teams are awaiting those moments and, in preseason, hoping that they can learn from them.
“To get all those reps is invaluable, just because not only is it the situation in the moment of truth, but then everybody learns from it in the film,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said postgame. “Particularly with how Dan likes to do it, super aggressive, you’re looking for those moments of intensity and pressure situations to see how people respond.”
Even with new offensive coordinator John Morton taking the reins, there’s not expected to be any change in the identity of the Lions’ top-ranked offense.
In classic Campbell fashion, the Lions’ first try came in the second quarter, faced with a fourth-and-seven from the Miami 11-yard line.
Knocking on the door for the first time in the game, Campbell and Morton dialed up a corner route for Jackson Meeks, which he nabbed just past the line to gain, before turning upfield for the touchdown.
The next call was a bit bolder, even for a preseason game. Running two-minute offense ahead of halftime, the Lions were up against a fourth-and-three on their own 38.
But quarterback Kyle Allen calmly placed a ball for receiver Isaac TeSlaa to pick up the first down. Four plays later, Allen was hitting TeSlaa in the end zone for a touchdown.
The final conversion was a more typical moment where a team would press their chances as the Lions got to fourth-and-one in the Miami red zone. A simple run to the left allowed Jacob Saylors to pick up the first and make the Lions perfect on fourth-down attempts for the game.
Beyond allowing the Miami defense to see an aggressive team in preseason, it was a reminder that everyone on the Lions’ offense — from starters down to third-string players — comes in ready to be daring on later downs.
“It’s fun. That’s kind of what makes the game fun — just being aggressive,” wide receiver Jameson Williams said earlier this year. “I feel like Coach Campbell, he just has the ultimate faith in his offense — that we’re the best and we’re going to convert this. And I love that. That’s how I feel too about everybody on our offense: we’re the best, and we’ve got to convert this.
“That’s how we win games. We do things other teams don’t. We execute in ways other teams don’t execute, and we just go farther and work harder than the next team.”
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